


Old England

by velocitygrass



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-29
Updated: 2007-07-29
Packaged: 2017-12-09 00:06:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/767672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velocitygrass/pseuds/velocitygrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every gentleman wanted to hear Sheppard's stories, and Rodney would swear that every unmarried daughter within a day's carriage ride was here this evening.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old England

So this was John Sheppard.

Rodney McKay had heard more about him than he cared to since his sister had married Lady Weir's brother-in-law. Elizabeth Weir was the widow of Lord Weir and John Sheppard's sister.

Rodney was fairly disappointed. Not that he had actually had any expectations of John Sheppard. But everyone had made him out to be an adventurer. The only thing Rodney considered adventurous was his state of dress. The man had apparently never heard of grooming. His dark hair stood every which way and his cravat sat always off center, even if only minutes before he had put it right after a not so subtle hint by Lady Weir.

He was the center of attention of course. Every gentleman wanted to hear his stories, and Rodney would swear that every unmarried daughter within a day's carriage ride was here this evening.

Mr. Sheppard wasn't married. There were rumors that he'd secretly taken a wife on his travels, a foreign princess of some kind, but that she'd tragically died along with their unborn child. If there was any truth to that, he must have recovered from grief. Right now he was charming everyone around him as if he had no care in the world, which was probably close to the truth.

Rodney huffed.

"Mr. McKay, are you not interested in my brother's tales?" Lady Weir had joined him in a corner of the room, away from her brother and his admirers. She had a twinkle in her eyes, as if she knew exactly what was going on in Rodney's head.

"I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of his presence. Especially those who came just to meet him."

He looked over at where a young woman was pushed towards Mr. Sheppard by her mother. Rodney shook his head and looked back to Lady Weir, who smiled at him. Rodney's expression softened.

"I'm happy for you. You must be glad to have him back," he told her.

"I am. He always tells me not to worry, but there is so much that can happen."

Rodney nodded. His parents had died when he was twenty, leaving him Jeannie to take care of and thankfully enough money to secure a comfortable life for both of them. He wouldn't have had to marry her off, but it was her own decision to become Edward Weir's wife.

Mr. Sheppard extricated himself from his audience for a moment, scanning the room for his sister.

"John," she called and he turned to them. A smile appeared on his face. This one more genuine than the wide grin that he sported since Rodney had come.

Mr. Sheppard approached them and his gaze fell on Rodney for the first time.

Rodney felt a flush creeping into his face. He cursed under his breath. He prided himself in having higher standards than others and he would not be one of those witless idiots, who were dazzled by a charming smile and an adventurous tale.

Mr. Sheppard's stride faltered and he looked down Rodney's body and then up again in a way that made Rodney feel irrationally naked.

"Please let me introduce you," Lady Weir said, taking her brother's hand. "John, this is Rodney McKay, the brother of Edward's new wife. Mr. McKay, this is my brother, John Sheppard."

Rodney nodded politely and held out his hand. Mr. Sheppard took it and grinned at him, not letting go of the hand until Rodney pulled it away by force.

"John, be nice," she chided gently. "I have promised to introduce you to Mr. Stewart and his daughters. If you'll excuse us, Mr. McKay."

Rodney bowed slightly. When he looked up again, Mr. Sheppard sighed and looked wearily in the direction his sister was walking. Then he gave Rodney a small smile, surprising Rodney, and followed her dutifully.

~~

In the following days Rodney actually talked to Mr. Sheppard and had to find out that he was more than the dashing exterior that he'd overheard more than one woman talk about. He was intelligent and well-read and didn't just spend his time abroad hunting exotic animals. He had visited many museums and libraries all over the world and Rodney found himself fascinated by the man.

Rodney regretted every time that Lady Weir interrupted them to remind John to speak with the other guests. Rodney thought that John regretted it, too. The dislike that he had felt towards the strong of women striving to become Mrs. Sheppard had transformed into full loathing.

Rodney watched as John smiled at them, suddenly becoming a different person. He felt the heat of jealousy rise in him, which was entirely irrational, since he had no designs on any of the women in John's presence. His friends and sister wondered why he hadn't married yet, but he'd never really met a woman who could hold his interest. He liked Lady Weir and appreciated her company. But he wouldn't want to marry her. And he certainly didn't like her enough for his life to be disrupted by the noise and inconvenience of children.

That evening Rodney decided to leave Lady Weir's home. He had already stayed a week prior to John's arrival and he felt that she probably wanted to spend some time in peace with her brother. And the way John changed when he was with him and when he was with others was confusing to Rodney and he hated being confused. Part of him wanted to stay with John, to take every minute that he could spend with him before John was reminded of his duties as a host.

But this was almost another reason to leave. Rodney didn't have any close friends. Most people thought he was loud-mouthed and ill-behaved, which wasn't entirely untrue, although he knew how to behave himself when he was with someone he respected. He just didn't feel that most people deserved his respect. He did respect Lady Weir, however, and John didn't seem to mind when Rodney was what other people considered arrogant or rude. Instead he laughed at Rodney and it made Rodney feel good in a way that he couldn't explain. Something about John left Rodney out of his depth, so he felt it would be better to get back into the safety of his own home and to his studies, which while sometimes equally frustrating he at least had a good chance of eventually making sense of.

He said good-bye to Lady Weir and had to promise to return soon at least for dinner, before she would let him go. He decided not to say good-bye to John, even if it was rude. He just wasn't sure if John wouldn't be able to persuade him to stay with the shy smile that he only seemed to give Rodney.

Rodney was ready to mount his horse, when John came running out of the house.

They looked at each other for a moment and Rodney once again felt himself flush.

"I'll accompany you on your ride home."

Rodney opened his mouth to argue but knew that it would be no use. He nodded.

They started riding alongside each other and Rodney didn't know what to say. He looked over at John, who sat gracefully in the saddle. John turned to him and Rodney looked away and got out of step.

John reached over and took his reign, steadying the horse. He then put it back in Rodney's hands, his hand resting over Rodney's much longer than was necessary.

Heat shot through Rodney and he looked at John, whose gaze was locked on Rodney, an expression on his face as if he had the answers to all the questions that Rodney couldn't even begin to formulate.

Rodney rode on and they didn't speak until they arrived at Rodney's home.

"Thank you," Rodney said, hardly able to look at John. "I'm sure your sister misses you already."

"She has other company."

"Yes, more than half of which are anxiously awaiting your return, I dare say," Rodney said with a small smile.

But John didn't return it. "I'd be glad if I didn't have to see them." Rodney's eyes widened. "Don't be so scandalized. I know that you don't think any better of them."

That was true, but he was Rodney McKay and John was... John, brother of Lady Weir, who was known for her hospitality.

"I'd offer you to stay, but—"

"I accept," John said before Rodney could finish his sentence.

"I couldn't do this to your sister," Rodney said. "You've only just arrived."

"I will ask her permission and explain. She'll understand that I'll finally want some quiet after my return."

He turned his horse around. "I'll return," he said smiling and rode away quickly.

~~

John staying with him was equally gift and torment for Rodney. They had loud discussions, in which John wouldn't bow to Rodney's intellect and reasoning. Instead he would smile as if being insulted by Rodney was his favorite past time. John took him riding frequently, even though Rodney didn't particularly enjoy it, although with John by his side he learned that it could be more than a necessity. One time John went off at break neck speed, screaming "Come on, McKay" and Rodney found himself following, even though he was terrified.

Once they'd stopped, Rodney had breathed hard, his heart beating furiously both with fear and exhilaration. When John started laughing heartily, he couldn't help joining him, even as he called him all sorts of names.

Rodney felt as if John had taken over his life. When John rode away to Lady Weir, Rodney looked out of the window long before it was likely John returned.

He was exceptionally glad that nobody would call on him, because it meant he did not have to share John with anyone.

There was Samantha, his only servant, who took care of the household.

When Rodney saw them laughing together one day, he felt jealous once again. Samantha was intelligent and pretty. She did her work and didn't tell him how a gentleman was supposed to behave, which had been a problem he'd had before. He in turn ignored that she read his books and kept her safe from unwanted advances.

He wasn't sure if John's advances would be unwelcome, but still he didn't want her to end up with child and having to leave him.

"Sheppard," he interrupted them more sharply than he intended.

John smiled at Samantha, before following Rodney into the parlor. "She'll have dinner ready in time, don't worry," he said lightly.

"I'm not worrying about dinner," Rodney said darkly enough that John stopped smiling.

"Then what are you worrying about?"

"I will not allow anyone to interfere with her."

John frowned. "I see," he then said, resignation in his voice.

"I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for in town," Rodney said, not wishing to put a further rift between them, even if he still felt angry.

"What _I_ am looking for?" John asked.

"Yes!" Rodney said, exasperated.

A smile suddenly formed on John's lips. "I won't find what I'm looking for in town. I have already found it. And it's not Samantha."

Rodney was utterly perplexed as it happened sometimes in John's presence. John never talked about any woman except his sister and when he inquired after Jeannie. Rodney couldn't imagine who he could be talking about. But maybe he was talking about something else entirely. In any case there was a twinkle in John's eyes that told Rodney that any questions would only be answered by amused silence or distraction, so he let it go.

He puzzled over this over dinner. And while he couldn't make any sense of it, he was gratified to see that John didn't pay any particular attention to Samantha. Rodney realized that he never had and felt uncomfortable that he'd made a scene of it earlier.

And so it went on. They spent evenings playing chess or talking and every now and then Rodney would feel the uneasiness of having missed something important that John was very aware of but wouldn't tell him.

One day John persuaded him to go for a walk, even though Rodney complained that it would start raining for sure.

They went up the small hill behind his house and down the meadow towards the woods nearby. It was warm, but the clouds were crowding over their heads.

"It's going to rain," Rodney said once again.

"So you've said since we left and so far there isn't a drop in sight," John answered, a smile playing on his lips.

"It's going to start any minute now," Rodney said, looking at the dark sky.

They went on and shortly afterward, Rodney felt the first drop on his face.

"I told you it was going to rain," he said.

"It's just a few drops."

As soon as John had said it, water started pouring down.

"We'll catch our deaths," Rodney said grimly, but John simply took his arm and started running towards a shed.

Once inside Rodney panted, "I knew it would rain. Any idiot could have told you."

"And you did," John quipped.

Rodney glared at him, then shuddered. He was wet through and quickly cooling down to an uncomfortable level.

John touched his arm. "You're wet."

"How observant of you."

"Why didn't you wear a proper overcoat? You knew it would rain."

Rodney was trying to come up with a fitting retort, possibly pointing out that he hadn't wanted to go in the first place, when John started removing Rodney's coat.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll catch a cold," John said seriously, brow furrowed in concentration as he started unbuttoning Rodney's waistcoat.

Rodney could only stare as John removed his own coat. John was completely dry underneath and before Rodney could ask about that John started working on Rodney's shirt.

A strange sensation took hold of Rodney, almost familiar now, as he felt it every now and then when he watched John move his graceful body.

He was too engrossed in his feelings to even be embarrassed, when John removed the shirt, leaving his upper body nude. Then John swiftly undressed his own waistcoat and shirt and Rodney swallowed hard.

He felt the inexplicable urge to reach out and touch John, to run his fingers through the hair on his chest. He wanted to... Rodney shook his head. He didn't know what he was thinking. Maybe he'd already caught something and was hallucinating.

John put his dry shirt on Rodney and Rodney was grateful for the warmth and dryness it provided. He wrapped his arms around himself as John continued to button the shirt up. It was a bit tight, but it didn't matter.

They waited for the rain to stop and Rodney stole glances at John, still not able to grasp what had brought on those strange thoughts.

Eventually the rain stopped and they made their way home, John just in his overcoat.

Once inside his own room Rodney thought he should get out of John's clothes so that they could be returned as soon as possible, but for a moment he just stood and inhaled John's scent around him. He thought of John's naked chest again, of his hands on it, but banished the thought with another shake of his head.

He got out of the shirt, but instead of leaving it for Samantha to take care of it, he hid it in his drawer.

~~

About a month after they had first met, Lady Weir threw another party for John.

Rodney tried not to show his agitation, as John once more was surrounded by young women in search for a husband. He would have John all to himself again soon enough. He had stopped trying to analyze why the idea of John marrying was upsetting him so much, even if he had no intentions towards the women in question.

He was hiding behind a column to avoid having to talk to anyone, when he suddenly overheard two women nearby.

"I'm quite sure of it. That is the reason for this gathering. When he leaves again, it will be with a wife. Lady Weir is very upset that he does not want to stay longer. And to think that he spent most of his time here with that dreadful Mr. McKay, when he should have been looking for a wife."

"I daresay it won't be a problem for him to find a suitable young lady today."

"Do you think Lady Weir will announce it tonight?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

Rodney's throat constricted. He didn't know why he felt so betrayed. It was expected of men to marry. His own stubbornness was the only reason nobody had forced him and while John was not so different from Rodney, he did try to please his sister if possible. Rodney didn't even think that John _wanted_ to marry. He probably only did it for Lady Weir.

But more than that he was going to leave the country again. Rodney should feel ashamed that he'd deprived John's sister of his presence so long, but he could only think of himself and that he'd lose John and wonder how many days they'd have left together.

Rodney didn't say a word when they rode home together.

"Would you like to play a game of chess?" John asked when they entered the parlor.

"No, I'm quite tired," Rodney responded. He didn't think he could handle John's presence tonight, even if every minute with was precious to Rodney.

"Are you all right?" John asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" It came out more defensively than Rodney wanted.

"I'm sorry I didn't spend a lot of time with you at the party," John said.

"It's understandable," Rodney said stiffly. "Were you successful at least?" he forced himself to ask.

"Successful?"

"In finding a wife," Rodney clarified. "I'm not sure if the great number of candidates made it easier or more difficult to find the right one," he said, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.

"You think that's what I was looking for?" John asked.

"Was it not?"

"I found what I was looking for the first day I returned."

Jealousy rose in Rodney. He wracked his brain, thinking about whom he had seen with John that first day, but there had been so many. What he couldn't believe was that John had entered his life even after he'd made his decision. Now he would leave the country again with his new wife and Rodney's life would be empty and missing something that he never knew he needed. Curse him.

Rodney turned without another word, but John grabbed his arm and turned him back. Then he pulled Rodney's face close and kissed him.

Rodney froze for a second, then his arms wrapped around John and he kissed him back, even before he could begin to understand what was happening.

When John pulled away he said, "I told you I didn't want to see any of them."

"But..." Rodney didn't know how to finish. He'd never wanted to marry and never understood what Jeannie had talked about when she'd told him that she was in love with Edward. Now he thought he finally understood, even if it seemed incredibly unlikely.

John leaned his head against Rodney's, then he caught Rodney's lips with his again. Rodney opened up his mouth and John delved inside, filling Rodney with the familiar heat in his insides. When they stopped to take a breath, John smiled and caught Rodney's hand in his, dragging him upstairs into Rodney's room.

John kissed him again and started undressing Rodney. Rodney was excited but felt a bit of trepidation. Even though every touch of John's hand on is skin sent shivers down his spine, he didn't know what to expect. But he trusted John.

John led him to the bed. He had removed every bit of clothing on Rodney's upper body, except for the unbuttoned shirt, which he pushed off his shoulders now. John looked at him hungrily, then leaned forward to kiss Rodney's neck and run a hand over Rodney's chest to tease a nipple. His lips wandered down and sucked on the other nipple and Rodney moaned holding John's head tightly. He felt as if he might float away if he didn't.

John's hands ran down his body, and when his knuckles brushed over his groin, Rodney shuddered.

John dropped to his knees and quickly removed Rodney's boots before working on the pants. He stood up again, pushing down Rodney's undergarments and before Rodney could begin to feel embarrassed, John pushed him backwards onto the bed and divested himself of all his clothes.

Rodney stared at his naked body, down the chest and the trail of hair that lead to his straining manhood. Rodney licked his lips. He gripped his own shaft, the only form of sexual gratification that he knew.

John crawled over his body, kissing him wetly, before putting one hand on Rodney's and pulling it away. Then he took Rodney's erect penis in his own hand. He stroked up and down a few times, making Rodney groan with sensation. Then his mouth descended and he licked the crown before taking it in, his tongue gliding along the underside, his lips a tight fit around.

Rodney's hips bucked upwards and he bit his lip to keep from crying out loud. John put a hand on his hip, soothing him, while his head started moving up and down Rodney's erection. The feeling was amazing and it shook Rodney to his core. He was overwhelmed by sensation and he put his hand in John's hair, stroking him gently, then gripping for a moment when John started sucking him.

Rodney started moaning uncontrollably. He didn't care if Samantha heard them. He couldn't keep it inside. "John," he gasped.

John quickened his rhythm, doing things with his tongue that Rodney couldn't even imagine.

Rodney was close and his hips started moving in time with John's ministrations.

"John," he said again, then he bit his lip and pushed upward once before shooting his seed down John's throat.

John swallowed it all, then scrambled up the bed to kiss Rodney.

Rodney didn't have much time to consider how strange it was to taste himself like this, because he felt John's own hardness press into his groin.

John started pushing against Rodney, his erection trapped between their bodies. Rodney pushed upwards as well, wrapping his arms around John.

John moaned into his ear. "Rodney."

Rodney turned to kiss him, pushing his tongue into John's mouth.

John thrust more quickly a few times and then froze and jerked, spilling his seed between them.

Rodney's hand moved into John's hair, holding his head as they caught their breath.

He still couldn't quite believe what had happened.

Just a month ago, he had thought that he had everything that he wanted in life. He'd thought the only reason for marriage would be money and producing an heir and the concept of love seemed like a myth that only the young and impressionable and fools fell for.

Now he looked at John, rising and falling on his chest with each breath and couldn't help thinking that love was more like a mystery that simply needed to be solved.

He didn't even mind that John had been smarter than Rodney. Rodney was a genius. He was sure that he'd catch up in no time.


End file.
